THREE civilians were killed and another was injured in an ambush staged by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels against Army soldiers helping to evacuate residents in Surigao del Sur due to typhoon “Odette” yesterday.
During the Laging Handa press briefing, Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel said the incident occurred in Barangay Esperanza in Carmen town where troops from the Army’s 36th Infantry were evacuating residents affected by landslides.
“Instead of helping, the NPA ambushed the Army. Three civilians died and an SK (Sanguniang Kabataan member) was also hit,” said Pimentel.
Meanwhile, two NPA rebels were killed in a firefight with Army soldiers in Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental on Tuesday.
Troops from the Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion were conducting a security operation when they clashed with about 20 rebels in Sitio Mangillet in Barangay Bal-ason at around 5:50 a.m.
The rebels, from the Guerilla Front Huawei and Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad, fled after a 30-minute firefight, leaving behind two dead comrades.
Soldiers recovered at the encounter site two AK47 rifles, an M16 rifle, an AR18 rifle, an M203 grenade launcher, NPA documents and personal belongings.
Soldiers also clashed with another group of rebels in Sitio Malague, Barangay Guinabsan, in Buenavista town in Agusan del Sur at around 7 a.m. also on Tuesday.
No one was reported or killed on both sides during the five-minute firefight. But soldiers recovered at the scene an M16 rifle, NPA documents and personal belongings.
